A culturally tailored meal program rooted in traditional Diné foods significantly reduced hospitalizations and emergency department visits among heart failure patients in rural Navajo Nation, according to a new randomized clinical trial published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. The study, known as MUTTON-HF (Medically Utilized Tailored Traditional foods to Optimize Nutrition in Heart Failure), included 206 adults receiving care at two Indian Health Service sites who were randomized to receive usual care or eight weeks of medically tailored meals incorporating traditional Diné (Navajo) ingredients and recipes.

A clinical trial co-led by WashU Medicine researcher Denise Wilfley, PhD, found that adding family-based behavioral treatment to specialized pediatric care helped nearly half of children with obesity reach a healthier weight. The approach coaches parents to change habits and routines at home, where lasting change begins.

In this randomized clinical trial of 1300 term small-for-gestational-age infants in South Delhi, India, those receiving an integrated package of health, nutrition, and early stimulation support had significantly higher weight at 12 months (8.0 kg vs 7.8 kg) and weight-for-age score (−1.3 vs −1.6) than those receiving usual government care.

A cluster randomized clinical trial evaluated whether placement of portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in communal areas and bedrooms of care homes reduced winter respiratory infection rates among older adult residents. Among 91 care homes in England with more than 1100 residents, there was no significant difference in respiratory infection rates per resident between homes with HEPA filters and those continuing usual prevention measures.

Prenatal alcohol exposure—a contributor to adverse pregnancy outcomes and the leading preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disability worldwide—has increased in the United States over the past decade. The new paper is by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

The ability to perform everyday activities free of debilitating symptoms profoundly affects quality of life as we age. In a new study, older adults who took a daily multivitamin had significantly better measures of functional health after 3 years compared with those who took a placebo.

Researchers at the Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center within the Rutgers Brain Health Institute, reviewed 25 years of data on dementia prevalence and risk factors in India. The findings, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, paves the way for the South Asian Middle Age Risk Tracking for brain Health (SAMARTH) study at Rutgers, the first research initiative in the United States dedicated to tracking the brain health of South Asian Americans and identifying modifiable risks and protective factors for Alzheimer’s Disease and related Dementias.